Thailand car production falls to lowest level in five years in April (updated)

Great Wall Motor Co

25/05/2026 05:43

Adds domestic sales, export data, forecasts and background in bullets

BANGKOK, May 25 (Reuters) - Car production in Thailand dropped to its lowest level in five years in April, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Monday, due to export disruptions from the war in the Middle East and higher energy prices.

Auto production dropped 0.44% in April from a year earlier to 103,794 units, following a 2.69% rise in March.

Domestic sales rose 2.54%, partly from bookings at the Bangkok Motor Show, coming in at 48,394 vehicles, said Surapong Paisitpatanapong, president of the FTI auto club, at a press conference.

Thailand auto exports dropped 8.43% to 60,190 units.

Thailand is Southeast Asia's biggest auto production centre. It is an export base for some of the world's top carmakers, including Toyota 7203.T, Honda 7267.T and Chinese brands like BYD 002594.SZ and Great Wall Motors 601633.SS, who have invested in recent years to supply locally and to export markets.

The FTI maintained its forecast that car production will rise by 3% to 1.5 million units in 2026, after a 0.9% dip to 1.455 million last year.

 (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by David Stanway)

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